Self-checkout terminal

ABSTRACT

An article code reading device optically reads a code symbol on to an article and specifies the article, and decodes and outputs an article code. An image pickup image part picks up an image of an area of an article, the code symbol of which is read by the article code reading device, and outputs pickup image data. An article registration is executed by searching an article data file for a corresponding price for the article, and an extraction process extracts an exterior characteristic of an article from a the pickup image data outputted by the pickup image part. A consistency is determined between a first data obtained based on the extraction process and a second data obtained based on an output from the article code reading device, and an alarm is generated when it there is not a consistency between the first data and the second data.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on Japanese Priority Document2006-169861 filed on Jun. 20, 2006, the content of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a self-checkout terminal, which enables acustomer to execute a self-checkout.

2. Discussion of the Background

In recent years, a self-checkout terminal, which enables a customer toexecute a self-checkout, has been developed. Various user interfaces forexecuting an article sales data processing are arranged such that anoperation by a customer, information offering for the customer, and areceipt issuance are enabled. As the various user interfaces, it isprovided that an article code reader such as a barcode reader or thelike, a display for displaying information, an input part for inputtinginformation, a settlement part for enabling a settlement such as areceiving/dispensing device for coins and bank notes, a receipt printer,and so on.

Further, a measurement is required to prevent a wrongdoing, that is, anarticle which a customer can bring home should be limited to thearticle, an article code of which was read by the article code reader.In other words, an article should be limited to the purchased articlethrough the article sales data processing. As for such measurement,Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 09-245251 discloses a technologythat prevents a wrongdoing by checking a weight of the article, thearticle code of which was read by the article code reader. A techniquedisclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 09-245251 is toacquire weight data of an article from a PLU (Price Look-Up) file and soon based on an article code, which is read by the article code reader,to weigh the weight of the article after the article code was read, andto execute a weight check to see an identity between the weightspecified by the weight data and the actual weighed weight.

However, the technique of the weight check described above may beinappropriate, or such technique may not be adopted from the beginning.Reasons will be stated as follows.

Weights of articles are not constant, and there are various articles,the weights of which are heavy such as 10 kilograms to light such assome grams. To weigh a weight of an article, the article is needed to beplaced on an article placing table, which constitutes a scale plate of ascale device, for example. However, it is inappropriate to have a heavyarticle placed on the article placing table because placing the heavyarticle burdens a customer. Therefore, it is inappropriate for such theheavy article to adopt the weight check technology.

Further, a maximum range and a minimum range of a possible accurateweighing are set for a scale device as a weighing performance, but theremight be an inaccurate weighing such as a heavy article or a lightarticle beyond the weighing performance of the scale device. Therefore,the weight checks cannot be adopted for the articles beyond the weighingperformance of the scale device.

Because of the reasons stated the above, there is an article for whichthe weight check technique is inappropriate, or the weight checktechnique cannot be adopted. It might be quite difficult or impossiblefor these articles to be checked if they are taken outside of a shop bya wrongdoing without an article sales data processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an effectivemeasurement for an article taken out of a shop by a wrongdoing.

A self-checkout terminal of the present invention, including an articlecode reading device for optically reading a code symbol affixed to anarticle and specifying the article, for decoding an article code, andfor outputting the article code, a pickup image part for picking up animage of an area where an article, the code symbol of which is read bythe article code reading device, and for outputting a pickup image data,and an alarming device for generating an alarm, wherein (i) an articleregistration process is executed by searching an article data file,which stores a price corresponding to each article code, for acorresponding price when the article code reading device reads a codesymbol, (ii) an extraction process is executed for extracting anexterior characteristic of an article from a pickup image data outputtedby the pickup image part, (iii) a consistency is determined between afirst data which is obtained based on the extraction process and asecond data which is obtained based on an output from the article codereading device and which should be matched to the first data, and (iv)the alarming device generates an alarm when it is determined that thereis not a consistency between the first data and the second data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of theattendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing a whole system structure of anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plane view showing a layout of each part of a self-checkoutsystem;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a self-checkout terminal;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a scale device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a status in which a shopping bag isheld to a holding arm;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical hardware structure of asettlement terminal;

FIG. 7(A) is an exemplary diagram showing an example of an article datafile (PLU (Price Look-Up) file);

FIG. 7(B) is an exemplary diagram showing an example of an article datafile (weight data file);

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram showing an electrical hardware structureof the scale device;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a flow of a self-checkout process in theself-checkout terminal;

FIGS. 10(A)-10(I) show exemplary diagrams of a display transitionexample when a self-checkout process is executed in the self-checkoutterminal;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary diagram showing an initial display and a readingconfirmation display with respect to an article to be placed on atemporal placing table;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of a form check process includinga first determination process;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of another embodiment of a formcheck process including the first determination process;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a flow of a form check process includinga second determination process;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a flow of another embodiment of a formcheck process including the second determination process;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a flow of a form check process includinga third determination process;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a flow of another embodiment of a formcheck process including the third determination process;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing a flow of a receiving process of weightdata obtained from the scale device, the flow is included in a weightcheck process;

FIG. 19(A) is an exemplary diagram showing an initial display and areading confirmation display with respect to a weight check exemptedarticle (a placing place is a placing table); and

FIG. 19(B) is an exemplary diagram showing an initial display and areading confirmation display with respect to a weight check exemptedarticle (a placing place is a floor).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto FIGS. 1 to 19.

The embodiment will be explained according to the following items.

1. SYSTEM STRUCTURE

-   -   (1) OUTLINE OF THE SYSTEM STRUCTURE    -   (2) SELF-CHECKOUT TERMINAL        2. SELF-CHECKOUT PROCESS    -   (1) BASIC ROUTINE OF THE SELF-CHECKOUT PROCESS    -   (2) DISPLAY TRANSITION AT THE SELF-CHECKOUT PROCESS    -   (3) FORM CHECK PROCESS    -   (4) WEIGHT CHECK PROCESS        -   (i) DETAILS OF THE WEIGHT CHECK PROCESS        -   (ii) SKIP OF THE WEIGHT CHECK PROCESS    -   (5) ARTICLE INFORMATION REGISTRATION THROUGH DISPLAY INPUT    -   (6) SETTLEMENT

Hereinafter, an explanation will be executed according to the aboveitems.

1. System Structure

(1) Outline of the System Structure

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing a whole system structure. Thesystem of the embodiment is constituted such that a plurality ofself-checkout systems 11, a plurality of POS terminals 21, and a storecontroller 31 are connected through a communication network 41.

The self-checkout system 11 is constituted that an attendant terminal501 is assigned to a plurality of self-checkout terminals 101. Theself-checkout terminal 101 consists of a settlement terminal 201 and ascale device 301.

FIG. 2 is a plane view showing a layout of each part of theself-checkout system 11. One attendant terminal 501 is assigned to fourself-checkout terminals 101 in the self-checkout system 11 of thepresent invention. In this self-checkout system 101, a pair ofself-checkout terminals 101 is arranged parallel with a customer passage121, and a front side of each pair of self-checkout terminals 101 faceseach other with having the customer passage 121 in-between.

The attendant terminal 501 is arranged at an end of the customer passage121. The attendant terminal 501 is a form of a personal computer by itsappearance, which has a main part 502, a display 503 as a display part,a keyboard 504, and a pointing device 505 as a controller.

A customer is accessible to every self-checkout terminal 101 via thecustomer passage 121. For instance, when the customer wants to use aself-checkout terminal 101 arranged at a left bottom part of thecustomer passage from the customer's view, that is, arranged at a rightupper part in FIG. 2, the customer passes through the customer passage121, stands in front of the self-checkout terminal 101, and leave to goround to a left side or a right side of an attendant terminal 601 afterhe/she completes a self-checkout process.

(2) Self-Checkout Terminal

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the self-checkout terminal 101. Theself-checkout terminal 101 consists of the settlement terminal 201 andthe scale device 301.

The settlement terminal 201 has a housing 202, at a left side of whichan article basket placing table 102 is extended. A protrusion part 103which decides a position of the basket is formed in L-shape on an uppersurface of the article basket placing table 102.

The housing 202 of the settlement terminal 201 constitutes a basehousing 202 a placed on the floor surface and a smaller upper housing202 b placed on an upper surface of the base housing 202 a. A frontsurface of the base housing 202 a inclines backward so that a projectedarea of the base housing 202 a is narrowed as going downward. Thus, thebase housing 202 a is offsetting backward as going downward.

Various user interfaces are provided at the upper housing 202 b. Thatis, a barcode scanner 203 as an article code reading device at a leftside and a printer cover 204 are arranged at the upper housing 202 b. Acard reader 206 as a settlement part and numeric keys 207 are arrangedbetween the barcode scanner 203 and the printer cover 204.

The barcode scanner 203 has a reading surface 203 a formed by an acrylicplate or a glass plate and is an upright scanner functioning as anarticle reader which emits a predetermined laser pattern on a readingspace positioned in front of the reading surface 203 a. When an articleis positioned in the reading space and a barcode affixed to the articleis faced to the reading surface 203 a, the barcode scanner 203 receive areflection light by a receiving element (not shown) from the barcode.Then, the barcode scanner 203 decodes the received signal of the barcodebased on an output signal of the receiving element, obtains an articlecode which the barcode represents as a code data, and outputs to thecontroller 253 of the settlement terminal 201.

A watch camera 205 is attached behind of the reading surface 203 a ofthe barcode scanner 203. The watch camera 205 has a digital camerastructure which consists of a CCD sensor in two dimensional arrangement,a plurality of lens leading a focused image to the CCD, and a controlcircuit generating and outputting an image data by receiving an outputfrom the CCD (all are not shown). The watch camera 205 is arranged in anarea where an article, a code symbol of which is to be read by thebarcode scanner 203. That is, the watch camera 205 is arranged in aposition where an image of the reading space described above can bepicked up. Therefore, the watch camera 205 constitutes a pickup imagepart for outputting a pickup image data by picking up such image.

A receipt issuer 208 is provided to the printer cover 204. A receiptprinter 251 (see FIG. 6) is housed in the upper housing 202 b at abackside part of the printer cover 204. A receipt (not shown) printed bythe receipt printer 251 is issued from the receipt issuer 208. Theprinter cover 204 is releasably attached with respect to the upperhousing 202 b, and is released by a pulling operation of a flap 209.

The card reader 206 executes radio communication with a non-contactingIC card (not shown), and reads and writes on the non-contacting IC card.The non-contacting IC card is, for example, able to store electronicmoney, which has equivalent value to cash. An antenna (not shown) ishoused in a backward part of the part where the representation of “card”is shown in the circle shown in FIG. 3, and the antenna performs radiocommunication with the non-contacting IC card. The numeric keys 207 areused for entering a personal identification number at a settlement withthe non-contacting IC card.

A LCD 210 as a display part having a liquid crystal panel is fixed tothe upper housing 202 b. The LCD 210 has a touch panel 211 as an inputpart on its displaying surface and a card reading ditch 212 on its rightside. A card reader/writer 252 (see FIG. 6) as a settlement part ishoused in the card reading ditch 212. The card reader/writer 252 readsinformation such as a card number and a personal identification number,which stores in a magnetic card such as a credit card and the like.

A receiving/dispensing device 221 (see FIG. 6) for coins and bank notesis housed in the base housing 202 a. As a part of thereceiving/dispensing device 221, a coin inlet 213 is arranged at acentral upper surface of the base housing 202 a and a coin dispenser 214is arranged at a right side of the coin inlet 213. Further, a note inlet215 and a note dispenser 216 are arranged at a front right upper part ofthe base housing 202 a. This receiving/dispensing device 221 has amechanism which executes coins and bank notes treatment, and acontroller which controls this mechanism (both not shown). Sinceprocesses executed by a mechanism and a controller like these are wellknown, an explanation will be omitted.

A display pole 217 as an alarming device for displaying a current statusof the self-checkout terminal 101 is set up from a back surface of thebase housing 202 a. The display pole 217 has an emission part 218, a tipof which emits blue and red selectively.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the scale device 301. A scale plate303 is provided on an upper part of a scale housing 302 and a shoppingbag holder 304 is fixed to the scale plate 303 to constitute the scalingdevice 301. The scale plate 303 has a placing table 303 a on its uppersurface. The shopping bag holder 304 is fixed to the placing table 303a. Therefore, when seen from the shopping bag holder 304, the scaleplate 303 constitutes a base. That is, an arm holder 305 is set up at aback central part of the placing table 303 a and a temporary placingtable 306 for placing an article is fixed to a top end of the arm holder305. An upper surface of the temporary placing table 306 is flat to beused for placing an article temporarily after a barcode of the articleis read by the barcode scanner 203. Both the placing table 303 a and thetemporary placing tale 306 play a role as a placing part for placing anarticle, an article code of which is already read.

A pair of holding arm 307 and a hook 308 are fixed to a back surface ofthe temporary placing table 306. That is, an arm fixing parts 309 arefixed to both side ends of the back surface of the temporary placingtable 306. Fixation of the arm fixing parts 309 is realized by, forexample, a screw, a glue, or various fixing methods. And the holdingarms 307 are laid in each of the arm fixing parts 309. Also, a hookfixing part 310 is fixed at a central part of the back surface of thetemporary placing table 306. Fixation of the hook fixing part 310 isrealized by, for example, a screw, a glue, or various fixing methods.And the hook 308 is laid in the hook fixing part 310.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a status that a shopping bag 401 asa storing bag is held to the holding arms 307. The shopping bag 401 hasan opening 402 and a pair of handle 403, which is folded at both side ofthe shopping bag 401. The holding arms 307 pierceably holds the pair ofhandle 403 of the shopping bag 401 such as a plastic bag and so on,which is provided to a customer in a supermarket. Further, a pair of ear406 is formed detachably at a perforation 405 between the pair of handle403, and holes 407 are formed in these ears 406. The hook 308 is piercedthrough the holes 407 so as to hold the shopping bag 401 with theholding arms 307.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electric hardware structure of thesettlement terminal 201. The settlement terminal 201 has a controller235 as an information processor in its inside. The controller 235 canbe, for example, either a semi-conductor chip structure in which aoperation sequence is written, or a microcomputer structure operated bystoring an operation program stored in a RAM 254 and so on. Here, acontroller 235 of the microcomputer structure will be described.

A core part of the controller 253 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit)255. In the CPU 255, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 256 for fixably storingfixed data, a RAM 254 (Random Access Memory) for rewritably storingchangeable data, VRAM (Video RAM) 257 for generating a display imagedisplaying at a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 210, and HDD (Hard DiskDrive) 258 are connected via a system bus 259. As an example, the HDD258 stores an operation program, a various display frame, a PLU (PriceLook-Up) file PF (see FIG. 7 (A)), a category file, a weight data fileWDF (see FIG. 7(B)), an image file, a sales file, and so on (not shownexcept the PLU file PF and the weight data file WDF), and theseoperation programs, the various display frames, and various ruleinformation and so on are transferred to the RAM 254 at an initialoperation for use. The various files such that the PLU file PF (see FIG.7 (A)), the category file, the weight data file WDF (see FIG. 7(B)), theimage file, a sales file, and so on constitute an article data file.

The PLU file PF, which constitutes the article data file, rewritablystores an article display, whether a discount article or not, a discountprice, M&M (Mix and Match) information and a price corresponding to anarticle code which specifies each article. The article display includestext data of a name of the article and the article's image dataspecified by the article code.

The category file, which constitutes the article data file, rewritablystores a price, an article display, whether a discount article or not, adiscount price, M&M (Mix and Match) information and so on correspondingto a category code of each article. The category code is not stored inthe PLU file PF. The article display includes text data of a name of thearticle and the article's image data specified by the category data.

FIG. 7(A) is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the PLU file PFwhich constitutes the article data file. The PLU file PF stores anarticle display, a price and an image data corresponding to an articlecode. The article display is a text data, which is equivalent to thecorresponding article's name. The image data is an image data of thecorresponding article. The PLU file PF may include the category file asanother example.

FIG. 7(B) is an exemplary diagram showing an example of the weight datafile WDF, which constitutes the article data file. The weight data filestores a predetermined weight (g), a definition of whether a weightcheck is executed or not, an article placing location definition (skipbagging), a permissible type definition, an upper limit permissiblevalue, a lower limit permissible value, and a weight update flag. Theweight data file WDF may include the PLU file PF, and the section fileas another example.

The predetermined weight (g) stores a predetermined value of a weight ofan article specified by the article code.

The definition of whether a weight check is executed or not is, asdescribed above, definition information which stores whether the weightcheck is executed or not corresponding to each article code. Thecontroller 253 of the self-checkout terminal 101 interprets [0] as “Donot weight check”, and [1] as “Do weight check” during the definition ofwhether the weight check is executed or not. As an example of thearticle, the weight of which is not checked, is an article which is toolight or is not appropriate for weighing, or the article which is tooheavy and therefore hard to transfer to the placing table 303 a of thescale device 301. The definition of whether the weight check is executedor not may be included to the PLU file PF as another example.

The article placing location definition (bagging skip) defines whichplacing location should be for an article, a barcode of which has beenread by the barcode scanner 203. The placing location is the placingtable 303 a (no weight skip), a temporary placing table 306 (weight skip(weighing)), or a floor (weight skip (weight)). The controller 253 ofthe self-checkout terminal 101 interprets [0] as the placing table 303 a(no weight skip), [1] as the temporary placing table 306 (weight skip(weighing)), and [2] as the floor (weight skip (weight)) during thedefinition of whether the weight check is executed or not. As anotherexample, the article placing location definition may be included to thePLU file PF. Further, as another example, characteristic information ofthe article such as easily cracked, easily broken, easily got out ofshape, or heavy is stored in the PLU file PF and the article placinglocation definition defines the temporary placing table 306 to be theplacing location for the article which is easily cracked, easily broken,or easily got out of shape, and defines the floor to be the placinglocation for the heavy article. Further, as another example, as theplacing location for the read article when the weight is heavier thanthe predetermined weight stored in the weight data file WDF, the flooris defined.

The permissible value type definition is information which defineswhether a permissible range with respect to the predetermined weight (g)should be either a rate, or the upper limit value and the lower limitvalue. That is, at a weight check process, a comparison process of theweights between a real weight weighed by the scale device 301 and theweight stored in the predetermined weight (g) is executed. At thatmoment, a permissible range with respect to the predetermined weight (g)is defined. The permissible range is obtained from the rate with respectto the weight value stored in the predetermined weight (g) according tothe definition stored in the permissible value type definition, or isobtained from the predetermined upper limit value and lower limit value.

The upper limit permissible value and the lower limit permissible valuestore value information for defining the permissible range with respectto the predetermined weight (g). When the permissible value typedefinition takes the rate with respect to the weight value stored in thepredetermined weight (g) as the permissible range, a value to be storedin the upper limit value and the lower limit value will be a percentageorder values. Also, when the permissible value type definition takes aspecific value as the upper limit value and the lower limit value withrespect to the weight value stored in the predetermined weight (g), avalue to be stored in the upper limit value and the lower limit valuewill be the specific value itself.

The weight update flag stores whether a weight registration process isexecuted or not. The controller 253 of the self-checkout terminal 101interprets [0] as “not updated yet”, [1] as “automatically updated”, [2]as “manually updated”, and [3] as “individually updated”. When not yetupdated, a default value is selected. The automatic update is executedthrough the weight registration process. The manual update is executedby a hand input. The individual update is executed by a hand input afterthe automatic update.

Now, going back to the explanation of the block diagram showing anelectrical hardware structure of the settlement terminal 201 shown inFIG. 6. The barcode scanner 203, the LCD 210, the touch panel 211, thecard reader 206, the numeric keys 207, the card reader/writer 252, thereceipt printer 251, the watch camera 205, the emission part 218constituting the alarming device, an interface 260 which executes datacommunication with the receiving/dispensing device 221 are connected tothe controller 253 via the system bus 259 so as to be controlled by thecontroller 253. The controller 253 controls each part and executes anarticle sales data process which includes a search process, a form checkprocess, the weight check process, an article information registrationprocess and a settlement process.

The search process recognizes an article code specified by a barcodewhen the barcode affixed to the article is read by the barcode scanner203, and searches the PLU file PF and the weight data file WDF andacquires a price, a weight and an article display corresponding to thearticle code.

The form check process is a process for determining whether an articleis treated as a purchased article by mistake or a wrongdoing even if abarcode affixed to the article has not been read correctly after thearticle passed through the reading space, a frontal surface of thereading surface 203 a of the barcode scanner 203, based on a pickupimage by the watch camera 205 for picking up an image of the readingspace. That is, in the form check process, the controller 253 executesan extraction process for extracting an exterior characteristic of thearticle from a pickup image data outputted by the watch camera 205, andobtains a first data based on the extraction process. The controller 253obtains a second data to be matched with the first data based on anoutput of the barcode scanner 203. Then, the controller 253 determinesthere is a consistency between the first data and the second data ifthere is a consistency between the two pieces of data, whilst thecontroller 253 determines there is not a consistency between them ifthere is not a consistency. Since the first data and the second datashould be matched, if there is not a consistency, it is presumed thatfollowing circumstances may happen.

(The First Circumstance)

An article, a barcode of which was read by the barcode scanner 203 doesnot match the article picked up by the watch camera 205 with respect tothe exterior image.

(The Second Circumstance)

The number of an article, a barcode of which was read by the barcodescanner 203 do not match the number of the article picked up an image bythe watch camera 205.

(The Third Circumstance)

Although the watch camera 205 picks up an image of an article, thebarcode scanner 203 does not read a barcode of the article.

These circumstances happens when an article, an image of which waspicked up by the watch camera 205, is treated as a purchased article bya wrong operation or a wrongdoing even if a barcode affixed to thearticle has not been read. Thus, when the controller 253 determinesthere is a consistency between the first data and the second data, thecontroller 253 recognizes the barcode affixed to the article, an imageof which was picked up by the watch camera 205, has been read correctly,whilst when the controller 253 determines there is not a consistencybetween the first data and the second data, the controller 253recognizes the barcode affixed to the article, an image of which waspicked up has not been read correctly.

The weight check process is a process determining whether the weight ofthe article, which is weighed by the scale device 301 after the barcodewas read, is identical to the weight acquired by the search process.Whether the weight is identical or not is determined by seeing whetherthe weight of the article, which was obtained based on the weighedweight by the scale device 301, is within a permissible range of theweight (a range between the upper limit value and the lower limit value,for example) acquired by the search process, that is, within a weightrange.

The article information registration process executes a temporalregistration of transaction information to the RAM 254, which includesthe article code specified by the barcode and the price searched by thesearch process based on the specified article code when the barcodeaffixed to the article is read by the barcode scanner 203.

The settlement process is a process to calculate a settlement amountbased on the price acquired through the search process, and to execute asettlement of the settlement amount. The settlement amount is obtainedby calculating necessary sales amount which includes a consumer tax inaccordance with a closing operation through the touch panel 211, and isregistered temporarily to the RAM 254, or is registered to a sales file.The settlement process enables the calculated settlement amount to besettled by cash, a magnetic card such as a credit card, electronic moneyor a non-contacting IC card, which stores an identification numberidentifying a bank account. A cash treatment is executed at thereceiving/dispensing device 221 provided at the base housing 202 a,while a magnetic card treatment is executed through the cardreading/writing part 206.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a concept of an articlesales data processing is used in a broad sense which includes the searchprocess, the form check process, the weight check process, the articleinformation registration process, the settlement process and so on.Therefore, to assist the article sales data processing which includesthe broad sense of meaning, the controller 253 of the settlementterminal 201 provides a customer with a display of operation method fortheir convenience.

The communication interface 261 is connected via the system bus 259 tothe controller 253. The controller 253 is connected to the communicationnetwork 41 so as to realize data communication between the attendantterminal 510, the store controller 31, and the self-checkout terminal101.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram showing an electrical hardware structureof the scale device 301. The scale device 301 has a load cell unit 351.One end of the load cell (a structure and a shape is not shown) is fixedto a base 352, and a load receiving part 353 is provided at the otherend. A scale frame 354 is formed in X-shape when seen from plane view,and places scale plates 303 at its four corners. An output signal of theload cell unit 351 is amplified at an amplifier 355 and converted into adigital signal at an analogue/digital converter (AD/C) 356, and analyzedat an arithmetic calculator 357. At the arithmetic calculator 357, aweight analysis is performed based on the output signal of the load cellunit 351. The arithmetic calculator 357 may be a semi-conductor chipstructure in which an operation sequence is written, or a microcomputerstructure, which operates by operation programs stored in a RAM or thelike. The arithmetic calculator 357 transmits weight data to thetransmitter 358, which is a result of the analysis, and outputs it tothe settlement terminal 201 through the transmitter 358. Thetransmission of the weight data to the settlement terminal 201 isexecuted periodically at a predetermined cycle for one example, and foranother example, the transmission is executed periodically at apredetermined cycle after a user assigns a start of a self-checkoutprocess. It is desirable that the cycle of the examples is short such asfew microseconds to few hundred microseconds.

In the embodiment as explained above, the self-checkout terminal 101enables a self-checkout. At this point, the controller 253 of thesettlement terminal 201 and the arithmetic calculator 357 of the scaledevice 301 executes various arithmetic calculation processes, a drivecontrol process and so on, so as to assist the self-checkout process.That is to say, the settlement terminal 201 displays various userassistance displays and executes the search process, the weight checkprocess, and the article sales data process as described above. Thescale device 301 transmits and outputs the weighed value from thetransmitter 358 to the settlement terminal 201 in order to assist theweight check process at the settlement terminal 201. In the following, aflow of the self-checkout process will be explained with reference to aflowchart showing a flow of the processes, various display examples anddisplay transition examples, and so on.

2. Self-Checkout Process

(1) Basic Routine of the Self-Checkout Process

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of the self-checkout process at theself-checkout terminal 101. The controller 253 of the self-checkoutterminal 101 stands by for a decision whether the article code is inputor not (step S11). An input of the article code is performed by thebarcode scanner 203, or an input operation is done through the touchpanel 211 in accordance with a display of the LCD 210.

When the controller 253 of the self-checkout terminal 101 determinesthere is an input of the article code (Y of step S11), the searchprocess is executed (step S12). As a result, as explained above, theprice, the weight and the article display correspondent to the codeinput article is acquired.

Followed by the search process, the controller 253 of the self-checkoutterminal 101 executes the form check process (step S13), and thenexecutes the weight check process (step S14). The form check processwill be explained with reference to FIGS. 12 to 17 later.

Followed by the weight check process and the form process, thecontroller 253 of the self-checkout terminal 101 executes the articleinformation registration process (step S15). That is, when the weightcheck process and the form check process are gone through, transactioninformation such as the article code, the price and so on is temporarilyregistered to the RAM 254.

Followed by the article information registration process, the controller253 of the self-checkout terminal 101 determines whether a settlement isassigned or not (step S16). The settlement assignment is executed by aninput operation through the touch panel 211 in accordance with thedisplay of the LCD 210. Then, if the controller 253 of the self-checkoutterminal 101 determines there is a settlement assignment (Y of stepS16), the controller 253 executes the settlement process as describedabove (step S17).

(2) Display Transition at the Self-Checkout Process

FIGS. 10(A)-10(I) show exemplary diagrams of a display transitionexample in the self-checkout process of the self-checkout terminal 101.In particular, FIG. 10(A) shows exemplary diagrams of the overalldisplay transition example, and each of the exemplary diagrams of FIG.10(A) is more clearly illustrated in diagrams of FIGS. 10(B)-10(I).According to the self-checkout process, a customer brings a basket,including an article to be purchased, to the self-checkout terminal 101,and puts the basket on the article placing table 102 of theself-checkout terminal 101.

At this point, the controller 253 of the self-checkout terminal 101generates an initial guidance display A as shown in FIG. 10(B) anddisplays it on the LCD 210. The initial guidance display A guides thecustomer how to treat the article. Treatment methods guided here aretwo. One is an article code input by using the barcode scanner 203, andthe other is an input assignment through the touch panel 211. As forguidance for the former method, an explanation that “Please hold thebarcode over the glass surface” is guided with a picture depicting theexplained status. As for guidance for the latter method, an explanationthat “An article without a barcode will be registered at the nextdisplay” is guided with a picture depicting the next display.

At this point, the controller 253 outputs information indicating itsstand-by status as an operation status information showing whether it isin stand-by status or in scanning operation status, to the assignedattendant terminal 501.

The initial guidance display A enables a selection of either using ashopping bag or my basket by providing two selection buttons A1 and A2.Here, my basket means that the basket is owned by a customer. When theselection button A1 is touched and assigned, a self-checkout processwith a shopping bag 401 is started. Whilst, the selection button A2 istouched and assigned through the touch panel 211, a self-checkoutprocess with my basket is started.

At this point, the controller 253 outputs information indicating itsoperation status as an operation status information showing whether itis in stand-by status or in scanning operation status, to the assignedattendant terminal 501.

FIG. 10(C) shows an example of starting the self-checkout process withmy basket when the selection button A2 is touched and assigned throughthe touch panel 211. The difference between the process of the shoppingbag 401 and the process of my basket is a zero point setting. When theprocess of my basket is executed, the controller 253 generates anddisplays an image for guiding a customer that a shop's basket should beplaced on the placing table 303 a of the scale device 301 and my basketis opened inside the shop's basket. And, a setting completion button A3and a back button A4 are displayed in the initial guidance display Aafter my basket was selected as shown in FIG. 10(c). When the settingcompletion button A3 is touched and assigned through the touch panel211, the controller 253 communicates the scale device 301 that the zeropoint setting needs to be executed. When the back button A4 is touchedand assigned through the touch panel 211, the display goes back to theinitial guidance display A as shown in FIG. 10(B).

A cancellation button Y and a calling button Z are displayed at a lowerleft part of the initial guidance display A in FIG. 10(C). Thecancellation button Y is a button for canceling a process, and thecalling button Z is a button for calling a shop assistant (anattendant). The controller 253 generates and displays the cancellationbutton Y and the calling button Z properly on each display whichtransits according to a series of flow of the self-checkout process.

In FIG. 10(C), when the setting completion button A3 is touched andassigned through the touch panel 211 at the initial guidance display orafter the selection button A1 was selected and assigned through thetouch panel 211 in FIG. 10(B), the controller 253 generates a basicdisplay B and display displays it on the LCD 210 as shown in FIG. 10(D).The basic display B constitutes a guidance display area B1 and a userarea B2. The guidance display area B1 is arranged at an upper position,and the user area B2 is arranged at a lower position. The guidancedisplay area B1 displays various guidance which is necessary for aself-checkout. The user area B2 displays various operation buttons andtransaction information which is necessary for a self-checkout.

An explanation that “Please hold the barcode of the article over theglass surface” with a picture depicting the explained status on theguidance display area B1 at the first basic display B is displayed asshown in FIG. 10(D), and the display B stands by for reading the barcodeof the article.

An article assignment button B22 for assigning an article without abarcode is displayed as one of various operation buttons at the userarea B2 in the first basic display B which is in FIG. 10(D) and whichstands by for reading of the barcode affixed to the article, andtransaction information B21 including a name of the article to bepurchased, a quantity, a price, and a total amount of the articles to bepurchased are displayed. The display example of FIG. 10(D) shows astatus in which a bottle of juice, a pack of milk, and three croquetteshave been already registered. When the number of purchasing articleincreases, a scrolling display is available by touching and assigning ascrolling button through the touch panel 211 in the transactioninformation B21. Also, there are circle marks displayed at sides of thejuice and the croquettes. These circles show these articles arediscounted. To show whether an article is discounted or not is possibleto let the PLU file PF to have discount information.

The customer holds the article in front of the barcode scanner 203 sothat the barcode is read according to the guidance display which isdisplayed in the guidance display area B1 of the first basic display Bin FIG. 10(D).

At this point, the controller 253 reduces brightness of the user area B2of the basic display B displayed on the LCD 210, generates a readingconfirmation display C, and displays the generated reading confirmationdisplay C to lap over the user area B2 as shown in FIG. 10(E). Thereading confirmation display C includes the transaction information suchas a price, a discount price, a quantity of articles, and a total amountof the article, the barcode of which has been read and searched from thePLU file PF. Also, the reading confirmation display C includes lettersbased on text data of a name of the article cited from the articledisplay stored in the PLU file PF, and a picture based on the image dataof the article. The reading confirmation display C may adopt a commonpop up display technique for a display, and also may adopt a techniqueusing a display frame to display the reading confirmation display C tolap over the basic display B. That is to say, it is enough for thereading confirmation display C to be displayed lapping over the basicdisplay B. Therefore, there is no limitation for the display techniqueto be adopted.

Significantly, the reading confirmation display C laps over the userarea B2 of the basic display B only, and does not lap over the guidancedisplay area B1. Therefore, the guidance display can be displayed on theguidance display area B1 continuously. When the barcode affixed to thearticle is read by the barcode scanner 203, at the example shown in FIG.10(D), the display is transited from the first basic display B1 of“Please hold the barcode of the article over the glass surface” to thedisplay of “Bag the article into a shopping bag or my basket” at theguidance display area B1 as in FIG. 10(E). The controller 253 transitsnot only the explanation, but also the picture for assisting the work tobag the article into a shopping bag or my basket. Since the readingconfirmation display C does not lap over the guidance display area B1,the customer can confirm the guidance display and the display transitionon the guidance display area B1 easily.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary diagram showing the basic display B and thereading confirmation display C with respect to the article to be placedon the temporary placing table 306. As described above, the settlementterminal 201 has the article placing location definition. Thus, when thebarcode of the article is read by the barcode scanner 203, and thetemporary placing table 306 is defined as the article placing locationdefinition at the first basic display B (FIG. 10(D)), the controller 253generates and displays the explanation that “Place the article on thetemporary placing table.” with a picture for assisting the explanationin the guidance display area B1 on the LCD 210.

Now, going back to the explanation with reference to FIG. 10(D), thecontroller 253 executes the form check process after a barcode affixedto an article is read by the barcode scanner 203. Details of the formcheck process will be explained with reference to FIGS. 12 to 17. Whenthe controller 253 recognizes the article, an image of which is pickedup by the watch camera 205, is treated as a purchased article by a wrongoperation or a wrongdoing even if the barcode affixed to the article hasnot been read correctly, the controller 253 stops a progress of anarticle sales data processing and executes a process for alarmingannouncement. That is, the controller 253 changes an emission color ofthe emission part 218 provided at the tip of the display pole 217 fromblue to red so as to announce to a shop assistant (an attendant, forexample) that there has been a wrong operation or a wrongdoing. As aresult of stop of the progress of the article sales data processing, adisplay of the LCD 210 remains as the reading confirmation display C isdisplayed and shows the customer that the process is not in progress.

After executing the form check process, the controller 253 stands by forthe weight check process after the barcode affixed to the article isread by the barcode scanner 203. Therefore, a guidance of theexplanation that “Bag the article into a shopping bag or my basket” withthe picture for assisting the explanation is displayed as shown in FIG.10(E). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, when the temporary placingtable 306 is defined as the article placing location definition, theguidance of the explanation that “Place the article on the temporaryplacing table” with the picture for assisting the explanation isdisplayed on the guidance display area B1. Then, the customer bags thearticle, the barcode of which has been read by the barcode scanner 203,into the shopping bag 401 or my basket, or places the article on thetemporary placing table 306 according to the guidance. Consequently, thearticle, which was bagged in the shopping bag 401 or was placed on thetemporary placing table 306, loads onto the scale plate 303 of the scaledevice 301, thereby the load is weighed by the load cell unit 351. Theweighed result by the load cell unit 351 is output to the settlementterminal 201 through the transmitter 358 as described above. Thesettlement terminal 201 receives the weighed result by the load cellunit 351 and executes the weight check process. As described above, theweight check process is a process to see whether the weight of thearticle, the barcode of which was read, and which was weighed by thescale device 301, has identity to the weight acquired from the weightdata file WDF by the search process. To see whether both have identityor not, it is determined that the weight obtained based on the weighedweight by the scale device 301 is within the weight permission range(the range between the upper limit value and the lower limit value, forexample) acquired by the search process, that is, within the weightrange.

When it is determined that both weights do not have identity as a resultof the weight check process, there would have been a wrong operation ora wrongdoing. Thus, in this case, the controller 253 stops the progressof the article sales data processing and changes the emission light ofthe emission part 218 provided at the tip of the display pole 217 fromblue to red so as to announce to the shop assistant (the attendant) thatthere was an operation error or a wrongdoing. As a result of stop of thearticle sales data processing, the display image of the LCD 210 remainsin the reading confirmation display C so as to inform the customer thatthe process does not proceed.

(3) Form Check Process

Here, details of the form check process will be explained with referenceto FIGS. 12 to 17. The self-checkout terminal 101 executes three kindsof form check process. These three kinds of form check process share thefollowing processes: an extraction process for extracting an exteriorcharacteristic from an pickup image data outputted from the watch camera205, a process for determining a consistency between the first dataacquired based on the extraction process and the second data to bematched with the first data based on an output from the barcode scanner203, and an alarming process for stopping a progress of an article salesdata process and changing an emission color of the emission part 218provided at the tip of the display pole 217 from blue to red when it isdetermined that there is not a consistency. Here, the three kinds ofform check process execute different process regarding the consistencydetermination process between the first data and the second data. Eachdifferent determination process is called as a first determinationprocess, a second determination process, and a third determinationprocess for convenience. These different determination processes areapplied to different kinds circumstances which cause lack of aconsistency between the first data and the second data. As describedabove, the three kinds of different circumstances are as follows.

(The First Circumstance)

An article, a barcode of which was read by the barcode scanner 203 doesnot match the article picked up by the watch camera 205 with respect tothe exterior image.

(The Second Circumstance)

The number of an article, a barcode of which was read by the barcodescanner 203, do not match the number of the article, an image of whichis picked up by the watch camera 205.

(The Third Circumstance)

Although the watch camera 205 picks up an image of an article, thebarcode scanner 203 does not read a barcode of the article.

The first circumstance may happen when a barcode label of a relativelycheap article is removed and then affixed to a relatively expensivearticle and the relatively expensive article is scanned by the barcodescanner 203. The second circumstance may happen when more than twoarticles are scanned at the same time. Especially, this circumstance mayhappen when the relatively cheap article and the relatively expensivearticle are held in both hands respectively and only a barcode of therelatively cheap article is faced to the reading surface 203 a of thebarcode scanner 203 and a scanning operation is executed. The thirdcircumstance may happen when a barcode affixed to an article is notfaced to the reading surface 203 a of the barcode scanner 203 and ascanning operation is executed. Although all these circumstances happenby the wrongdoings, it is difficult to recognize the wrongdoings from ashop assistant who is positioned at the attendant terminal 501. The formcheck process enables a detection of the wrongdoings easy. Especially,the first determination process included in the form check processdetermines a lack of consistency in the first circumstance described theabove, the second determination process determines a lack of consistencyin the second circumstance described above, and the third determinationprocess determines a lack of consistency in the third circumstancedescribed above. Detailed processes of the three kinds of form checkprocess will be explained as follows.

First of all, the first determination process including the form checkprocess will be explained. The first determination process is executedby a process for obtaining an exterior characteristic of an article as afirst data extracted by the extraction process for extracting theexterior characteristic of the article from an pickup image dataoutputted by the watch camera 205, a process for obtaining correspondingcharacteristic data as a second data from an article characteristicdatabase (not shown) based on an article code outputted by the barcodescanner 203, and a process for determining there is a consistency whenthe obtained first data and the obtained second data have a consistency,whilst determining there is not a consistency when the obtained firstdata and the obtained second data do not have a consistency.

For the first determination process, the store controller 31 (seeFIG. 1) provides the article characteristic database described above.The article characteristic database stores an article code whichcorresponds to exterior characteristic data. The characteristic dataspecifies a distinctive color, a shape, a pattern, a letter and so on ofan article. To be specific, the characteristic data that a distinctivecolor, a shape, a pattern, a letter and so on of an article areevaluated as characteristic values. The characteristic data can beproduced in advance with data provided by a producer, data provided by adealer of an article, or by picking up an image of an article.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of the form check processincluding the first determination process. The controller 253 outputs ONsignal to the watch camera 205 when either the selection buttons A1 orA2 (see FIG. 10(B)) is touched and assigned, and a self-checkout processis started (step S101). Thereby, a pickup operation of image by thewatch camera 205 is initialized. The pickup image operation continuesuntil a termination command is determined (step S102). The controller253 generates the termination command when the settlement button B23displaying [Settlement] in the user area B2 in the first initial displayB shown in FIG. 10(D) is touched and assigned. The touching assignmentof the settlement button B23 means a closing assignment. This will beexplained later. The controller 253 outputs an OFF signal to the watchcamera 205 (step S103) according to the termination command (Y of stepS102). Thereby, the pickup operation of the image by the watch camera205 is over.

The controller 253 takes the pickup image data outputted by the watchcamera 205 into the RAM 254 (step S104). Then, the controller 253extracts a characteristic of an article as characteristic data from thepickup image data taken into the RAM 254 (step S107). The characteristicof the article to be extracted is data that a silhouette of an article,a color of the package, a pattern, a letter, a trademark and so on areevaluated as characteristic values, for example. The processes areexecuted by applying a well-known image processing technology. Theextracted characteristic data of an article constitutes the first data.

Followed by the extraction process of the characteristic data (stepS107), the controller 253 executes a process for determining whether anarticle code is obtained or not, that is, stands by for a determinationof whether an article code is outputted from the barcode scanner 203(step S108). When the controller 253 determines there is an output of anarticle code from the barcode scanner 203 (Y of step S108), thecontroller 253 transmits a reading request of a characteristic datawhich accompanies the article code outputted by the barcode scanner 203to the store controller 31, receives the characteristic data transmittedfrom the store controller 31 and takes the data into the RAM 254 (stepS109). On this occasion, the store controller 31 accesses to the articlecharacteristic database and searches an exterior characteristic data ofan article, which corresponds to the received article code. The obtainedcharacteristic data constitutes the second data.

The controller 253 compares the characteristic data of the article (thefirst data) extracted at the step S107 and the exterior characteristicdata of the article (the second data) obtained at the step S109 anddetermines a consistency between the two pieces of data (step S110). Inthis comparing process, it is determined there is a consistency when agap between the characteristic value included in the characteristic dataof the article extracted in the step S107 (the first data) and thecharacteristic value included in the exterior characteristic data of thearticle obtained at the step S109 (the second data) is smaller than apredetermined established value, whilst it is determined there is not aconsistency when the gap is bigger than the predetermined establishedvalue.

Then, the controller 253 allows the process to return to the step S102and the processes between the steps S102 to S111 are repeated when it isdetermined there is a consistency between the characteristic data of thearticle extracted at the step S107 (the first data) and the exteriorcharacteristic data obtained at the step S109 (the second data). On theother hand, when the controller 253 determines there is not aconsistency between the characteristic data of the article extracted atthe step S107 (the first data) and the exterior characteristic data ofthe article obtained at the step S109 (the second data) (N of stepS111), the controller 253 executes an alarming process (step S112). Thatis, the controller 253 stops a progress of the article sales dataprocessing and changes an emission color of the emission part 218provided at the tip of the display pole 217 from blue to red to generatean alarming, and in addition, transmits an alarming signal to theattendant terminal 501 via the communication interface 261.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of the form check process ofanother embodiment including the first determination process of anotherembodiment. A difference of the process shown in FIG. 13 from theprocess shown in FIG. 12 is an obtaining technique of an article code.The process shown in FIG. 13 does not use the article code outputted bythe barcode scanner 203, but utilizes pickup image data outputted by thewatch camera 205 which has been taken into the RAM 254 at the step S104as an article code to be used in the form check process.

The controller 253 executes a barcode recognition process based on thepickup image data outputted by the watch camera 205 which was taken intothe RAM 254 (step S105). The barcode recognition process is executed byreferring a barcode database, which is installed to the HDD 258 andcopied to the RAM 254, for example. The barcode database stores arelationship between a code and various elements characterizing abarcode which corresponds to the code, for example. Thereby, thecontroller 253 analyzes the barcode included in the pickup image datataken in to the RAM 254 at the step S104, extracts the various elementscharacterizing the barcode and accesses to the barcode database toobtain a code corresponding to the extracted elements. Then, thecontroller 253 decodes the obtained barcode and obtains an article code.

When the controller 253 determines a completion of the decoding processfor obtaining the article code (Y of step S106), the controller 253executes the extraction process of a characteristic data of the articleat the step S107. Since the article code has been already obtained atthe step S105, the process for determining whether the article code isoutputted or not by the barcode scanner 203 (step S108 in FIG. 12) isnot executed, and the process goes on to the reading process of thecharacteristic data at the step S109. Here, the controller 253 uses thearticle code obtained at the step S105 as the article code whichaccompanies with the reading request of the characteristic data to betransmitted to the store controller 31.

Processes after the step S109 are common with the processes shown inFIG. 12.

Now, the form check process including the second determination processwill be explained. The second determination process executes a processfor obtaining the number of the article as the first data, the exteriorcharacteristic of which has been extracted based on the exteriorcharacteristic of the article by the extraction process for extractingan exterior characteristic of an article from a pickup image dataoutputted by the watch camera 205, a process for obtaining the number ofthe article code outputted by the barcode scanner 203 as the seconddata, and a process for determining there is a consistency when thenumber of the article which the obtained first data specifies, and thenumber of the article which the obtained second data specifies have aconsistency.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a flow of the form check processincluding the second determination process. The controller 253 outputsON signal to the watch camera 205 when either selection buttons A1 or A2shown in FIG. 10(B) is touched and assigned to start a self-checkoutprocess (step S201). Thereby, a pickup image operation by the watchcamera 205 is started. The pickup image operation continues until atermination command is determined (step S202). When the settlementbutton B23 displaying [SETTLEMENT] in the user area B2 in the firstinitial display B shown in FIG. 10(D) is touched and assigned, thecontroller 253 generates the termination command. The touchingassignment of the settlement button B23 means a closing assignment. Thiswill be explained later. The controller 253 outputs OFF signal to thewatch camera 205 (step S203) according to the termination command (Y ofstep S202). Thereby, the pickup image operation by the watch camera 205is over.

When the termination command is not determined (N of step S202), thecontroller 253 takes the pickup image data outputted by the watch camera205 into the RAM 254 (step S204). Then, the controller 253 executes aprocess for counting the number of the article based on the pickup imagedata taken into the RAM 254. That is to say, the controller 253 extractsa characteristic of the article from the pickup image data taken intothe RAM 254 as a characteristic data. The characteristic data to beextracted is data that a silhouette of the article, a color of thepackage, a pattern, a letter, a trademark and so on are evaluated ascharacteristic values, for example. The processes are executed byapplying a well-known image processing technology. Then, the number ofthe article, the characteristic data of which has been extracted, arecounted. The number of the article constitutes the first data.

To be important, the number of the article obtained as the first data isobtained based on the pickup image data outputted by the watch camera205 within a established time in one transaction. The established timein this case is a sufficient time for more than two articles to passthrough the reading surface 203 a of the barcode scanner 203 by onebarcode scanning operation.

Followed by the counting process of the number of article (step S207),the controller 253 allows the process to go to a process for determiningwhether an article code is obtained or not, that is, the controller 253stands by for a determination whether an article code is outputted fromthe barcode scanner 203 (step S208). When an output of an article codefrom the barcode scanner 203 is determined (Y of step S208), thecontroller 253 executes a counting process for counting the number ofthe article, which has been obtained within the established time adoptedat the step S207 (step S209). The number of the article constitutes thesecond data.

The controller 253 executes a number comparing process for comparing thenumber of the article counted at the step S207 (the first data) and thenumber of the article code counted at the step S209 (the second data)(step S210). In the number comparing process, the controller 253determines there is a consistency when the number of the article whichthe first data specifies accords with the number of the article codewhich the second data specifies, whilst it is recognized there is not aconsistency when the numbers do not accord with each other.

Then, when the controller 253 determines the number of the articlecounted at the step S207 (the first data) accords with the number of thearticle code counted at the step S209 (the second data) (Y of stepS211), the controller 253 allows the process to return to the step S202and the processes between the steps S202 to S211 are repeated. On theother hand, when the controller 253 determines the number of the articlecounted at the step S207 (the first data) does not accord with thenumber of the article code counted at the step S209 (the second data) (Nof step S211), the controller 253 executes an alarming process (stepS212). That is, the controller 253 stops a progress of the article salesdata processing, changes an emission color of the emission part 218provided at the tip of the display pole 217 from blue to red, andtransmits an alarming signal to the attendant terminal 501 via thecommunication interface 261.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a flow of the form check processincluding the second determination process of another embodiment. Adifference of the process shown in FIG. 15 from the process shown inFIG. 14 is an obtaining technique of an article code. The process shownin FIG. 15 does not adopt an article code outputted by the barcodescanner 203 as an article code to be used in the form check process, bututilizes the pickup image data outputted by the watch camera 205, whichhas been taken into the RAM 254.

The controller 253 executes a barcode recognition process based on thepickup image data outputted by the watch camera 205 which was taken intothe RAM 254 (step S205). The barcode recognition process is executed byreferring a barcode database, which is installed to the HDD 258 andcopied to the RAM 254, for example. The barcode database stores arelationship between a code and various elements characterizing abarcode which corresponds to the code, for example. Thereby, thecontroller 253 analyzes the barcode included in the pickup image datataken into the RAM 254 at the step S204, extracts the various elementscharacterizing the barcode and accesses to the barcode database toobtain a code corresponding to the extracted elements. Then, thecontroller 253 decodes the obtained barcode and obtains an article code.

Processes after the step S210 are common with the processes shown inFIG. 14.

Now, the form check process including the third determination processwill be explained. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a flow of the formcheck process including the third determination process. The controller253 outputs ON signal to the watch camera 205 when either selectionbuttons A1 or A2 shown in FIG. 10(B) is touched and assigned to start aself-checkout process (step S301). Thereby, a pickup image operation bythe watch camera 205 is started. The pickup image operation continuesuntil a termination command is determined (step S302). When thesettlement button B23 displaying [SETTLEMENT] in the user area B2 in thefirst initial display B shown in FIG. 10(D) is touched and assigned, thecontroller 253 generates the termination command. The touchingassignment of the settlement button B23 means a closing assignment. Thiswill be explained later. The controller 253 outputs OFF signal to thewatch camera 205 (step S303) according to the termination command (Y ofstep S302). Thereby, the pickup image operation by the watch camera 205is over.

When the termination command is not determined (N of step S302), thecontroller 253 takes the pickup image data outputted by the watch camera205 into the RAM 254 (step S304). Then, the controller 253 executes aprocess for extracting a characteristic of the article from the pickupimage data which has been taken in to the RAM 254 as characteristic data(step S305). The characteristic data to be extracted is data that asilhouette of the article, a color of the package, a pattern, a letter,a trademark and so on are evaluated as characteristic value, forexample. The processes are executed by applying a well-known imageprocessing technology.

The extraction of the characteristic of the article at the step S305means that a scanning operation of the article by the barcode scanner203 has been executed. That is to say, the article has passed throughthe reading space, a frontal space of the reading surface 203 a of thebarcode scanner 203. Therefore, the controller 253 determines theexecution of the scanning operation of the article by seeing thecharacteristic extraction of the article at the step S305 (step S306).The extraction process of the characteristic of the article at the stepS305, in other words, the execution of the scanning operation of thearticle constitutes the first data.

When the controller 253 determines the execution of the scanningoperation of the article (Y of step S306), the controller 253 allows theprocess to go to a process for determining whether an article code isoutputted or not, that is, the controller 253 stands by for determiningwhether an article code is outputted from the barcode scanner 203 or not(step S308). On this occasion, an output of an article code by thebarcode scanner 203, that is, a determination of an output of an articlecode from the barcode scanner 203 constitutes the second data.

A relationship between the first data and the second data will beexplained. When an article is scanned at a situation where a barcodeaffixed to the article faces the reading surface 203 a of the barcodescanner 203, the determination of an execution of a scanning operationof the article at the step S306 (the first data) and the determinationof an output of the article code from the barcode scanner 203 at thestep S308 occur synchronically within a momentary time. Here, thecontroller 253 recognizes there is a consistency between the first dataand the second data when the determination of the execution of thescanning operation of the article at the step S306 (the first data)synchronically occurs with the determination of the output of thearticle code from the barcode scanner 203 at the step S308, whilst, thecontroller 253 recognizes there is not a consistency between the firstdata and the second data when the determinations does not occursynchronically. Here, when the controller 253 recognizes there is aconsistency between the first data and the second data (Y of step S308),the controller 253 allows the process to return to the step S302 and theprocesses between the steps S302 to S308 is repeated. On the other hand,when the controller 253 recognizes there is not a consistency betweenthe first data and the second data (N of the step S308), an alarmingprocess is executed (step S309). That is, the controller 253 stops aprogress of an article sales data processing and changes an emissioncolor of the emission part 218 provided at the tip of the display pole217 from blue to red to generate an alarming, and transmits an alarmingsignal to the attendant terminal 501 via the communication interface261.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a flow of the form check process ofanother embodiment including the third determination process. Adifference of the process shown in FIG. 17 from the process shown inFIG. 16 is an obtaining technique of an article code. The process shownin FIG. 17 does not adopt the article code outputted by the barcodescanner 203, but utilizes pickup image data outputted by the watchcamera 205 which has been taken in to the RAM 254 at the step S304 as anarticle code to be used in the form check process.

The controller 253 executes a barcode recognition process based on thepickup image data outputted by the watch camera 205 which was taken intothe RAM 254 (step S304) after the determination of a scanning operationof an article at the step S306. The barcode recognition process isexecuted by referring a barcode database, which is installed to the HDD258 and copied to the RAM 254, for example. The barcode database storesvarious elements which characterize a barcode by corresponding to acode, for example. Thereby, the controller 253 analyzes the barcodeincluded in the pickup image data taken into the RAM 254 at the stepS304, extracts the various elements characterizing the barcode, andaccesses to the barcode database to obtain a code corresponding to theextracted elements. To be important, the barcode recognition processdoes not obtain the article code by decoding a code symbol, namely, abarcode, but does recognize an existence of barcode itself. Therefore, abarcode recognized at the barcode recognition process at the step S307can be referred as an article code even though the barcode actually doesnot constitutes the article code. Then, if a barcode (an article codewhich can be referred as an article code) is extracted from the pickupimage data which has been taken in to the RAM 254 at the step S304 (Y ofstep S308), this constitutes the second data.

Here, if the controller 253 extracts a barcode (an article code whichcan be referred as an article code) from the pickup image data which hasbeen taken into the RAM 254 at the step S304 (Y of step S308), the firstdata and the second data are recognized to have a consistency, whilst ifa barcode cannot be extracted, it is recognized there is not aconsistency. Needless to say, the barcode extraction determination (thesecond data) at the step S308 is periodically synchronized with thedetermination (the first data) of the scanning operation of an articleat the step S306.

Processes after the step S308 are common to the processes shown in FIG.16.

(4) Weight Check Process

(i) Details of the Weight Check Process

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a flow of a weight data receiving processfrom the scale device 301, which is included to the weight checkprocess. The scale device 301 transmits the weighed result by the loadcell unit 351 as the weight data to the self-checkout terminal 101.Here, the controller 253 of the self-checkout terminal 101 stands by forreceiving the weight data when a start of the self-checkout process istouched and assigned by the selection button A1 in the first initialguidance display A shown in FIG. 10(B) through the touch panel 211 (stepS51).

As described above, a transmission of the weight data from the scaledevice 301 to the settlement terminal 201 is executed periodically in ashort circle such as few microseconds to few hundred microseconds. Atthe receiving process of step S51 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 18,whenever there is a transmission from the scale device 301 to thesettlement terminal 201, it is always determined that a transmission isreceived.

When the controller 253 of the settlement terminal 201 determines thereis a transmission of the weight data (Y of step S51), the controller 253stores the received weight data to the RAM 254 temporally (step S52).That is, the controller 253 of the settlement terminal 201 stores theweight data to the RAM 254 temporally, which is transmitted from thescale device 301 periodically in a short cycle such as few microsecondsto few hundred microseconds (step S52).

As the weight check process, the controller 253 acquires an increasedweight value by subtracting a weight value specified by a weight datatemporally stored just before the step S52 in the RAM 254 from a weightvalue specified by a weight data temporally stored in the RAM 254 at thestep S52 in FIG. 18 to obtain an increased value. On this occasion, thecontroller 253 must have executed the search process (step S12 in FIG.9) just before the step S52. That is, the controller 253 must havesearched the PLU file PF and the weight data file WDF (FIG. 7(A) andFIG. 7(B)) based on an article code outputted by the barcode scanner203, and must have obtained a price corresponding to the article code, aweight permissible range (a range between an upper limit value and alower limit value, for example) and an article display. Therefore, thecontroller 253 determines whether the increased weight acquired bysubtracting the weight value specified by the weight data temporallystored just before the step S52 in the RAM 254 from the weight valuetemporally stored in the RAM 254 at the step S52 in FIG. 18 falls withinthe weight permissible range (the range between the upper limit valueand the lower limit value, for example) obtained by the search process(step S12 in FIG. 9). Thereby, the weight check process is executed.

(ii) Skip of the Weight Check Process

FIGS. 19(A) and 19(B) are exemplary diagrams showing a basic display Band a reading confirmation display C of a weight check exempted article.As described above, the settlement terminal 201 has the definition ofwhether a weight check is executed or not. Therefore, the controller 253refers the definition of whether a weight check is executed or not, andfor an article defined not to be executed the weight check, aconfirmation button X is displayed on the reading confirmation display Cand the weight check process is skipped. Then, when the confirmationbutton X is assigned by the touch panel 211 at the reading confirmationdisplay C, the controller 253 allows the article sales data processingto proceed, returns the brightness of the user area B2 in the basicdisplay B and cancels the reading confirmation display C. Thereby, thedisplay of the LCD 210 returns to the basic display B shown in FIG.10(D).

As can be seen, the weight check process is skipped for the weight checkexempted article. As shown in FIG. 19(A), in spite of skipping theweight check process, the guidance display area B1 after the barcodeaffixed to the article is read displays a guidance showing anexplanation that “Please bag the article into a shopping bag or mybasket and touch the confirmation button” with a picture for assistingthe explanation.

Here, as explained based on FIG. 11, the guidance display area B1displays the placing location for the article after the barcode is read,according to the article placing location definition (the articlebagging skip) of the weight data file WDF. Therefore, as shown in FIG.19(B), the controller 253 makes the guidance display area B1 to displayan explanation that “Please place the article beside the shopping bagtable and touch the confirmation button” with a picture for assistingthe explanation for the article, the placing location of which isdefined as the floor by the article placing location definition (thearticle bagging skip).

(5) Article Information Registration Through Display Input

Going back to the explanation based on FIGS. 10(A)-10(I), as describedabove, the first initial guidance display A in FIG. 10(B) displays anexplanation that “An article without a barcode will be registered at thenext display” with a picture depicting “the next display”. By this, thecontroller 253 prepares article assignment buttons B22, which consist ofsix touch buttons that “Vegetables”, “Fruits”, “Prepared Food”, “Fish”,“others”, and “Packed Food” in the user area B2 in the basic display Bin FIG. 10(D) as an image for registration of an article without abarcode. Here, when an article to be purchased does not have a barcode,a customer touches and assigns the article assignment buttons B22through the touch panel 211. Upon an assignment of any of the articleassignment button B22 through the touch panel 211, the transactioninformation B21 of the user area B2 in the basic display B is switchedand a category selection display E as shown in FIG. 10(F) is displayed.

The category selection display E in FIG. 10(F) shows an example that“Prepared Food” is assigned through the touch panel 211. In this case,sixteen kinds of various foods included in the “Prepared Food” categoryis displayed by a scrolling display in four by four array in rows andcolumns. The category selection display E displays a return button E1.When the return button E1 is assigned through the touch panel 211, thecategory selection display E is switched and displayed to thetransaction information B21, and is returned to the basic display B inFIG. 10(D).

When the transaction information B21 of the user area B2 in the basicdisplay B is switched and the category selection display E shown in FIG.10(F) is displayed, the controller 253 lets the guidance display area B1to display an explanation that “Please touch the button of the articleyou have” with a picture for assisting the explanation. By this, thecustomer can get to know what operation he/she would do next.

Thus, when the customer touches and assigns one food through the touchpanel 211 from the category selection display E in FIG. 10(F) accordingto the guidance, a category registration display F for the touched andassigned food appears on the user area B2 in the basic display B asshown in FIG. 10(G). The category registration display F in FIG. 10(G)shows an example that “Egg Tofu” is touched and assigned. In this case,the category registration display F regarding “Egg Tofu” appears. Thecategory registration display F includes the transaction informationsuch as the article price, a discount price, a quantity to be purchased,and the purchased price. The category registration display F alsoincludes a character based on text data of a name regarding the article,a picture based on image data regarding the article, and numeric keys.The numeric keys enable to change an input of the quantity to bepurchased for the article that the default setting is 1. These variouskinds of data is cited from information recorded in the category file,which is separately provided in the settlement terminal 201 from the PLUfile PF. Also, a cancellation button F1 and a decision button F2 areincluded in the category registration display F. When the cancellationbutton F1 is touched and assigned through the touch panel 211, thecategory registration display F (FIG. 10(G)) returns to the display E(FIG. 10(F)) in which the category selection display E of the user areaB2 in the basic display B is displayed.

When the category registration display F is displayed on the user areaB2 in the basic display B in FIG. 10(G), the controller 253 lets theguidance display area B1 to display an explanation that “Please input bythe numeric key and touch “Decision” button when change the quantity”with a picture for assisting the explanation. Thereby, the customer canget to know what operation he/she would do next.

Thus, according to the guidance, when the customer inputs and changes apurchase number with the numeric keys as necessary at the categoryregistration display F as shown in FIG. 10(G), and then touches andassigns the decision button F2 through the touch panel 211, the categoryregistration of the selected food, “Egg Tofu” in the example shown inFIG. 10(G), is registered by the default number or the quantity changedwith the numeric keys. Here, the controller 253 reduces the brightnessof the basic display B displayed on the LCD 210, generates the readingconfirmation display C, and laps the generated reading confirmationdisplay C over the user area B2 as shown in FIG. 10(H). Additionally,the controller 253 transits the display in the guidance display area B1in the basic display B into a guidance display that “please bag thearticle into the shopping bag or my basket” as shown in FIG. 10(H).Although not shown in FIG. 10(H), the controller 253 also transits thepicture for assisting the operation to bag the article into the shoppingbag or my basket shown in the guidance display area B1. By displayingthe reading confirmation display C not to be lapped over the guidancedisplay area B1, it is possible for the customer to confirm the guidancedisplay and its transition in the guidance display area B1 easily.

Here, when the five kinds of the article assignment buttons B22 of“Vegetables”, “Fruits”, “Fish”, and “Others” are touched and assignedthrough the touch panel 211, that is, all buttons except “Packed Food”of the article assignment buttons B22 are touched and assigned, and thecategory registration is executed after the reading confirmation displayC is displayed to lap over the user area B2 in the basic display B, theweight check process is executed. That is, this process is common withto the process after the barcode affixed to the article, is read by thebarcode scanner 203. Thus, an explanation of following processes will beomitted.

(6) Settlement

Continuing with the explanation based on FIGS. 10(A)-10(I), thesettlement button B23 showing “Settlement” is displayed on the user areaB2 in the basic display B as shown in FIG. 10(D). An assignment of thesettlement button B23 means a closing assignment. Thus, when thesettlement button B23 is touched and assigned through the touch panel211, the controller 253 executes a settlement process. That is, thecontroller 253 generates a settlement display J and displays it on theuser area B2 as shown in FIG. 10(I). The settlement display J includes adisplay of total sum, selection buttons J1 to J5 for paying methods, areturn button J6 showing “Return to the detailed display” for returningto the first initial display B in FIG. 10(D). In FIG. 10(I), theselection button J1 is for cash, the selection button J2 is for a creditcard, the selection button J3 is for a non-contacting IC card of anelectronic money type, the selection button J4 is for a non-contactingIC card charging to a bank account and the selection button J5 is for agift coupon. Thereby, when the customer touches and assigns thesettlement button B23 through the touch panel 211 at the settlementterminal 201, the controller 253 executes a settlement process by cash,an electromagnetic card such as a credit card, an electronic money typenon-contacting IC card, or a bank account charging type non-contactingIC card, for the settled amount obtained through the article sales dataprocessing.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

1. A self-checkout terminal, comprising: an article code reading devicefor optically reading a code symbol affixed to an article and specifyingthe article, for decoding an article code, and for outputting thearticle code; a pickup image part for picking up an image of an areawhere an article, the code symbol of which is read by the article codereading device, and for outputting a pickup image data; an alarmingdevice for generating an alarm; means for executing an articleregistration process by searching an article data file, which stores aprice corresponding to each article code, for a corresponding price whenthe article code reading device reads a code symbol; means for executingan extraction process for extracting an exterior characteristic of anarticle from a pickup image data outputted by the pickup image part;means for determining a consistency between a first data which isobtained based on the extraction process and a second data which isobtained based on an output from the article code reading device andwhich should be matched to the first data; and means for allowing thealarming device to generate an alarm when it is determined that there isnot a consistency between the first data and the second data.
 2. Theself-checkout terminal, according to claim 1, wherein a determination ofa consistency between the first data and the second data is executed bya first determination process comprising: a process for obtaining anexterior characteristic of an article extracted by the extractionprocess as the first data; a process for obtaining a correspondingcharacteristic data from an article characteristic database which storesan exterior characteristic of an article which correspond to an articlecode based on the article code outputted by the article code readingdevice; and a process for determining there is a consistency between theobtained first data and the obtained second data if there is aconsistency between the two data, and for determining there is not aconsistency between the obtained first data and the obtained second dataif there is not a consistency between the two data.
 3. The self-checkoutterminal, according to claim 1, wherein a determination of a consistencybetween the first data and the second data is executed by a seconddetermination process comprising: a process for obtaining the number ofan article, an exterior characteristic of which is extracted, based onthe exterior characteristic extracted by the extraction process as thefirst data; a process for obtaining the number of an article codeoutputted by the article code reading device as the second data; and aprocess for determining there is a consistency between the numberspecified by the obtained first data and the number specified by theobtained second data if there is a consistency between the two pieces ofdata, and for determining there is not a consistency between the numberspecified by the obtained first data and the number specified by theobtained second data if there is not a consistency between the twopieces of data.
 4. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 2,wherein a determination of a consistency between the first data and thesecond data is executed by the first determination process, and thesecond determination process comprising: a process for obtaining thenumber of an article, an exterior characteristic of which is extracted,based on the exterior characteristic of the article extracted by theextraction process as the first data; a process for obtaining the numberof an article code outputted by the article code reading device as thesecond data; and a process for determining there is a consistencybetween the number specified by the obtained first data and the numberspecified by the obtained second data if there is a consistency betweenthe two pieces of data.
 5. The self-checkout terminal, according toclaim 1, wherein a determination of a consistency between the first dataand the second data is executed by a third determination processcomprising: a process for obtaining an extraction of an exteriorcharacteristic of an article by the extraction process as the firstdata; a process for obtaining an output of the article code by thearticle code reading device as the second data; and a process fordetermining there is a consistency between the first data and the seconddata if the second data is obtained by being synchronized with anobtainment of the first data, and for determining there is not aconsistency between the first data and the second data if the seconddata is not obtained.
 6. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim2, wherein a determination of a consistency between the first data andthe second data is executed by the first determination process, and thethird determination process comprising: a process for obtaining anextraction of an exterior characteristic of an article by the extractionprocess as the first data; a process for obtaining an output of thearticle code by the article code reading device as the second data; anda process for determining there is a consistency between the first dataand the second data if the second data is obtained by being synchronizedwith an obtainment of the first data, and for determining there is not aconsistency between the first data and the second data if the seconddata is not obtained.
 7. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim3, wherein a determination of a consistency between the first data andthe second data is determined by the second determination process, andthe third determination process comprising: a process for obtaining anextraction of an exterior characteristic of an article by the extractionprocess as the first data; a process for obtaining an output of thearticle code by the article code reading device as the second data; anda process for determining there is a consistency between the first dataand the second data if the second data is obtained by being synchronizedwith an obtainment of the first data, and for determining there is not aconsistency between the first data and the second data if the seconddata is not obtained.
 8. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim4, wherein a determination of a consistency between the first data andthe second data is executed by the first determination process, thesecond data determination process, and the third determination processcomprising: a process for obtaining an extraction of an exteriorcharacteristic of an article by the extraction process as the firstdata; a process for obtaining an output of the article code by thearticle code reading device as the second data; and a process fordetermining there is a consistency between the first data and the seconddata if the second data is obtained by being synchronized with anobtainment of the first data, and for determining there is not aconsistency if the second data is not obtained.
 9. The self-checkoutterminal, according to claim 2, wherein it is determined there is aconsistency between the first data and the second data if a gap betweena characteristic value included in the first data and a characteristicvalue included in the second data is smaller than an established value,and it is determined there is not a consistency if the gap is biggerthan the established value.
 10. The self-checkout terminal, according toclaim 4, wherein it is determined there is a consistency between thefirst data and the second data if a gap between a characteristic valueincluded in the first data and a characteristic value included in thesecond data is smaller than an established data, and for determiningthere is not a consistency between the first data and the second data ifthe gap is bigger than the established data.
 11. The self-checkoutterminal, according to claim 6, wherein it is determined there is aconsistency between the first data and the second data if a gap betweena characteristic value included in the first data and a characteristicvalue included in the second data is smaller than an established data,and for determining there is not a consistency between the first dataand the second data if the gap is bigger than the established data. 12.The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 8, wherein it isdetermined there is a consistency between the first data and the seconddata if a gap between a characteristic value included in the first dataand a characteristic value included in the second data is smaller thanan established data, and for determining there is not a consistencybetween the first data and the second data if the gap is bigger than theestablished data.
 13. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 3,wherein the number of an article obtained as the first data is obtainedbased on a pickup image data outputted by the pickup image part withinan established time of one transaction, and the number of an articlecode obtained as the second data is obtained based on the number of anarticle code outputted by the article code reading device within anestablished time.
 14. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 4,wherein the number of an article obtained as the first data is obtainedbased on a pickup image data outputted by the pickup image part withinan established time in one transaction, and the number of an articlecode obtained as the second data is obtained based on the number of anarticle code outputted by the article code reading device within theestablished time.
 15. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 7,wherein the number of an article obtained as the first data is obtainedbased on a pickup image data outputted by the pickup image part withinan established time in one transaction, and the number of an articlecode obtained as the second data is obtained based on the number of anarticle code outputted by the article code reading device within theestablished time.
 16. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 8,wherein the number of an article obtained as the first data is obtainedbased on a pickup image data outputted by the pickup image part withinan established time in one transaction, and the number of an articlecode obtained as the second data is obtained based on the number of anarticle code outputted by the article code reading device within theestablished time.
 17. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 1,wherein the article code reading device is a data code scanner forreading the code symbol by receiving a reflection light from the codesymbol.
 18. The self-checkout terminal, according to claim 1, whereinthe article code reading device analyzes the code symbol included in animage of an article picked up by the pickup image part and decodes thecode symbol to an article code.
 19. The self-checkout terminal,according to claim 1, further comprising: a user interface for enablingan input and a display of various information, and a settlement; andmeans for executing a settlement process of an article, for which thearticle registration is executed, in response to a completiondeclaration of one transaction by the user interface.
 20. Theself-checkout terminal, according to claim 1, further comprising a scaledevice providing a placing part for placing an article after the codesymbol is read, and for weighing a weight of the article placed on theplacing part and transmitting the weighed weight value to theself-checkout terminal, wherein: the article data file stores a weightwhich corresponds to each article code, and a weight check process isexecuted, the weight check process being for searching the article datafile for a corresponding weight, obtaining a weight of an article placedon the placing part based on a weight value received from the scaledevice and determining a consistency between the searched weight and theweighted weight when a code symbol is read by the article code readingdevice, and the article registration process is executed only when aconsistency between the searched weight and the weight of an articleplaced on the placing part is determined as a result of the weight checkprocess.